1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a flushing system for an outboard motor and, more particularly, to a flushing system that comprises a modified tell-tale system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tell-tale ports are well known to those skilled in the art and are used to provide a visual indication to the operator that the water cooling system of an outboard motor is operating satisfactorily. The tell-tale port is connected in fluid communication with a pressurized portion of the cooling system for an internal combustion engine and is configured to divert a small, but visual, stream of water from the outboard motor. As long as the diverted stream of water is visible, it is assumed that the cooling system of the internal combustion engine is operating properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,987, which issued to Watanabe et al on Aug. 29, 2000, describes a coolant flushing system for an outboard motor. A water cooled four cycle outboard motor has an improved flushing system that permits flushing of the cooling system without removal of even the protective cowling and which permits flushing to be accomplished with a minimum of water usage. The flushing connection is coupled with a tell-tale connection to provide a simple, but highly effective construction. In addition, the system effectively cools the engine and a temperature sensor is positioned in an area where it will be protected from overheating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,835, which issued to Takahashi et al on Oct. 20, 1998, describes an outboard motor throttle control system. The system provides an outboard motor for use in powering a watercraft of the type having an operator station positioned along a starboard side of the watercraft. The motor has a water propulsion device powered by an engine having an exhaust system generally positioned along the right side thereof. A cooling system is provided for cooling the engine and the exhaust system. Preferably, the motor includes a cooling water tell-tale acting as a visual identifier to the operator of the craft that the cooling system for the engine is operating. The tell-tale is created by diverting coolant from a portion of the cooling system for cooling the exhaust system to a pilot port in the side of the cowling corresponding to the starboard side of the watercraft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,617, which issued to Broughton et al on Jan. 14, 1992, describes a marine propulsion device with a direct able telltale discharge. The marine propulsion device comprises a propulsion unit adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat for pivotal movement relative thereto about a generally vertical steering axis, the propulsion unit comprising a lower unit rotatably supporting a propeller shaft adapted to support a propeller, a conduit for providing a discharge of fluid from the propulsion unit, and a nozzle for selectively varying the direction, relative to the lower unit, of the discharge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,101, which issued to Inverse et al on Sep. 17, 1991, describes a marine propulsion with an arrangement for flushing the engine cooling jacket. The device comprises a bracket structure adapted for connection to a boat transom and a propulsion unit connected to the bracket structure for pivotal movement about a generally vertical steering axis and for tilting movement about a generally horizontal tilt axis, which propulsion unit includes an internal combustion engine including an engine block having a cooling jacket, a lower unit supporting the engine block and including a propeller shaft drivingly connected to the engine, a cover removably supported by the propulsion unit in enclosing relation with the engine and including a portion having therein an opening, a conduit extending from the engine block and through the opening and including therein a bore communicating with the cooling jacket and having an outer end with an internal thread, and a plug removably and threadably received in the threaded outer end portion of the conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,114, which issued to Horn on Jan. 20, 1976, discloses a self-purging tell-tale nozzle. A resilient rubber self-purging nozzle for the tell-tale water line of a water cooled outboard motor is disclosed. A cone shaped nozzle of soft rubber restricts discharge of tell-tale water stream and expands upon blockage to permit blocking matter to be discharged overboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,068, which issued to Hale on Apr. 4, 1978, discloses a V-engine cooling system particularly for outboard motors and the like. The engine includes a cooling passageway extending upwardly through the central bore and discharged into a chamber in an exhaust manifold cover between the cylinder banks. The water passes through the cover and to the lateral side edges which have inlets to cooling chambers about the opposite cylinder banks which are continuous and discharged at the uppermost end. The cylinder heads have a cooling chamber with top inlet aligned with the cylinder discharge. The cooling water flows downwardly over to a common discharge header at the lower end for both of the cylinder banks. A pressure relief valve discharges the water from the common headed. A separate thermostatic valve is secured to the uppermost end of each of the cylinder banks at the transfer connection from the cylinder cooling chamber to the head cooling chamber and thus at the uppermost end highest point in the two banks. A lower supply chamber is coupled to a pump having a small bypass opening. The chamber is located at the exhaust pipes and has small ports to spray water into the pipes. Small drains opening from the respective cooling chambers and discharge header drain to the discharge side of the pump for draining of the water from the cooling system through the pump bypass.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
A water cooling system for an outboard motor made in accordance with the present invention comprises an internal combustion engine and a water passage disposed in thermal communication with the internal combustion engine. It also comprises a fluid conduit connected in fluid communication with the water passage to cause a visible stream of water to be expelled from the water passage as an indication of an acceptable flow of water through the water passage when the internal combustion engine is operating. The fluid conduit extends through an outer surface of the outboard motor. A connector is attached to a distal end of the fluid conduit and is attachable to a source of water which is external to the outboard motor. The connector is detachable from the outer surface of the cowl in order to allow a preselected length of the fluid conduit to be extending through the outer surface to allow the connector to be moved away from the outer surface.
In certain embodiments of the present invention, the connector is threaded to receive an end of a hose which is connected in fluid communication with the source of water. The hose can be a conventional garden hose. The connector can be removably attached to the outer surface and can comprise a female threaded hose connection. The connector can also comprise a protrusion which is shaped to be received in snap fit relation with a receptacle attached to the outer surface of the outboard motor.